Archive for the ‘diesel’ tag

As truck manufacturers in the United States began to adopt diesel engines in the early to mid-1930s, partly thanks to the popularization efforts of Clessie Cummins, so did they also begin to realize their limitations, particularly their colossal weight and their need for efficient scavenging. Proposed fixes for those issues came from all quadrants, but few of them as illustrious as one of the pioneers of the automobile, Ransom E. Olds.

Olds, as we all know, tinkered with steam cars and gasoline cars in the 1890s, eventually leading to the formation of Oldsmobile in 1897. His time with Olds, however, proved shorter than his time with Reo, which he founded in 1904 to build cars and, later, trucks ranging in size from 1/2 ton to 4 tons and even buses. By the late 1930s, Reo’s truck competition moved toward diesels, but Reo staunchly remained committed to gasoline engines through this time, which is not to say that Reo – or, at least, Olds himself – didn’t at least toss around some ideas about diesel engines.

The first such idea, as we can see from Olds’s patent (2099371), filed in August 1934, sought to address the weight of diesel engines by radically changing their configuration. Rather than the traditional vertical single-piston-per-cylinder configuration, Olds conceived a horizontal two-piston-per-cylinder single-crankshaft two-stroke direct-injection diesel engine that used hefty rocker arms to transfer the motion of the pistons to the crankshaft. The fuel injector would be located in the center of the cylinder, intake and exhaust ports would be located at opposite ends of the cylinders, and each pair of opposed pistons in a cylinder would be timed 15 degrees apart to keep the exhaust and intake ports opening at different times. The advantage of such a configuration, Olds argued, comes in its compactness, reduced weight, and reduced cost of manufacture:

A further advantageous feature of this invention which contributes materially to reducing the weight of the engine without sacrificing rigidity resides in the novel means provided for relieving the cylinder block and associated parts of the engine from the stresses resulting from the relatively high compression pressures developed in the cylinders.

Olds didn’t assign his patent to Reo, as one would expect. Instead, he assigned it to Hill Diesel Engine Company of Lansing, a company that he bought in 1924 that built diesels for marine and generator applications. And if the opposed-piston single-crankshaft diesel configuration looks familiar, that’s because it apparently originated with Sulzer Brothers, a Swiss diesel engine manufacturer that seems to have licensed the engine design (ZG9) to Hill. The same Sulzer ZG9 also apparently provided inspiration (whether licensed or not, we have yet to determine) to British firm Tilling-Stevens, which designed its own opposed-piston diesel that Rootes put into production as the TS-3, commonly known as the “Knocker,” powering Commer trucks during the 1950s and 1960s.

Hill reportedly put its opposed-piston diesel into production powering generators and in other stationary applications, though whether it was purely Sulzer’s design or Olds’s design (and how much the two differed) we also have yet to determine.

Olds was granted his opposed-piston diesel patent in November 1937, and though he was a year retired from Reo by that time, he apparently continued to remain involved with Hill, as we see from what appears to be the last of Olds’s dozens of patents. Filed in January 1939, US Patent 2230308 also depicts a diesel-type engine, but this time Olds set about improving how diesels breathe.

Instead of using an auxiliary engine pump, supercharger, or turbocharger to fill the pistons of a two-stroke diesel engine, as Olds, Sulzer and Commer specified for the opposed-piston engine, Olds believed that he could piggyback on the motion of the crankshaft with two-stage stepped pistons – one stage for normal power production, the other for compressing incoming air for a neighboring cylinder. That is, he essentially designed a built-in supercharger. “The construction is simple, avoiding the necessity of a separate supercharger and doing away with cam shaft gears, cam shafts, and cams,” he wrote.

Olds, who was granted the patent in February 1941, assigned this one to himself, so presumably he had disassociated himself from Hill by this time. Despite his claimed advantages, we have yet to see any evidence of stepped-piston engines put into production.

Ransom E. Olds died in August 1950. Though it had experimented with diesel engines during Olds’s time with the company, Reo didn’t install diesel engines in its production trucks until the late 1950s.

* We always enjoy hearing about high school auto shop classes taking on restoration projects, like the one at Bettendorf High School in Bettendorf, Iowa, focused on teacher Joe Phillips’s 1928 Buick, a car that his grandfather once owned.

* Clessie Cummins may not have been as successful as he imagined at getting his diesel engines under the hoods of race cars or passenger cars, but he did convince the trucking industry to switch from gasoline to diesel engines, thanks in large part to his 1932 cross-country bus trip as highlighted this week by The Old Motor.

Mercedes-Benz diesels and turbodiesels generally have a bulletproof reputation for reliability, which is why the cars enjoy legions of fans around the world. It’s not uncommon to see 300 series diesel models with 300,000 miles on them, which is one of the things that makes this 1982 Mercedes-Benz 300D sedan for sale on Hemmings.com so attractive. It has a claimed 77,000 miles on the odometer, which, by diesel standards, isn’t even close to broken in. The car has reportedly led a pampered life, and its overall interior and exterior condition seem to substantiate that claim. Though not quite a concours-condition car, it appears as if this 300D is a better-than-average daily driver with decades of life left in it. From the seller’s description:

My car looks just as clean as the gorgeous pictures. The body/paint/interior are all gorgeous. The mileage is an Original factory 77k Miles. Which as you all Im sure know is super rare to find and is super low mileage for these W123. There is no rust/rot on the body as you can clearly see in the pictures. The car runs/drives very nicely. It never feels like your driving a 1982. Feels a lot newer, ofcourse because of the low mileage use. You can just sit in it and when you start and drive, it feels like its only a few years old. Ive owned a lof these W123 Diesels. This is by far the smoothest/cleanest one Ive owned. I purchased it about 3 years ago, from the main family who owned it. It was an elderly gentleman, who always had it garaged. Its never seen snow or winters. The tires/brakes are in real nice shape. The Air conditioner was converted a few years back to the R134 Complete system. New ac compressor/etc. Fully converted. It was about $2500. The radio was also replaced with a more reliable clear sounding Pioneer, with all new speakers in the car since it was original from 1982. I still have the original Becker Cassette radio. The car was very well kept. In the few years Ive owned, I only babied it and barely put any miles on it. I dont have the capacity to keep anymore. Im sure the next owner will get years of fun usuge out of it. Between starting at it in the garage, with their mouth watering or driving it, and turn heads on the street. How clean and original it looks. You will be getting compliments all the time. And the color is very sheik/exotic, rather than the convetional silver and black ones.

The Connecticut Antique Machinery Association’s 8th Annual Spring Power-Up is planned for May 5. Featuring antique steam engines – both stationary and powering small locomotives – as well as gasoline and diesel combustion engines and plenty of antique tractors, the Power-Up is a visual and aural feast for fans of vintage machinery and engineering at CAMA’s Kent, Connecticut, location.

An all-volunteer organization, CAMA is dedicated to the “preservation, restoration and demonstration of antique machinery from our rich industrial and agricultural past.” Their collection features industrial steam engines – including one with a 12-foot flywheel, a narrow gauge railway and a five-cylinder Wolverine diesel that was manufactured in 1935 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Just 150hp doesn’t sound like a lot, but the engine is 10 feet tall and hits that 150hp mark at just 300 RPM.

Among other items that are often started for the power-ups are a variety of “hit and miss” single-cylinder internal combustion engines that do not fire on every revolution but only when the engine drops below a certain RPM. CAMA also maintains a collection of antique road-building and earth-moving equipment.

After the HFOD on the Rolls-grilled Ford station wagon the other day, one would think we’d seen enough of that sort of thing for a while, but then along came this 1979 Checker A12E for sale on Hemmings.com fitted not only with a Rolls-like grille, but also a six-cylinder turbodiesel engine in place of the original SBC. From the seller’s description:

Comes with new Vinyl Top and Fiberglass Front and Rear Fender Tops. Continental tire on Back. Roof Rack with Roof AC Unit. Leslie Locomotor Horns. New Paint, New W/S Tinted Glass. Bostrom Front Seats. All upholstery is New! Has a CD Player as well. Engine is a GMC 7000 with a 6 cylinder Turbo Diesel. Has a 5-Speed Manual Transmission with a 9″ Ford Rear End-Final Ratio 2.46. New Brakes all around. New 16″ Tires with Moon Hubcaps. 80 Gallon Fuel Tank, heavy springs, new front and rear shocks. Lots of accessories to numerous to mention. Runs Great. Drive anywhere 21 MPG.

When we did our mid-year review of the Class of 1986, it was rightfully pointed out that we hadn’t covered any BMWs in our survey of cars from the 1986 model year. We’ll rectify that with today’s entry in the Class of 1986, another end-of-model-run car, the 524td.

Unlike other European automakers, BMW avoided diesel engines as long as possible. It was the fuel crises of the 1970s that finally turned the company over to compression-ignition engines: BMW had its first prototype turbodiesel running in 1978, and over the next few years laid plans to begin production in conjunction with Steyr-Daimler-Puch. The resulting engine, the M21 2.4-liter straight-six, was somewhat based on the M20 gasoline engine, though fitted with Bosch mechanical fuel injection and a Garrett T3 turbocharger to make 115hp and 155-lbs.ft. of torque. Released in 1983, it would find a home in the 5 series and lay claim to the crown of world’s fastest production diesel-powered car. Backed only by a four-speed automatic transmission, it debuted in the United States the next year – the same year Ford introduced the engine as an option in the Lincoln Continental and Mark VII. Along with the standard anti-lock brakes and power seats, among other luxury items, the 524td could be ordered with leather interior.

Unfortunately, the early 1980s wave of interest in diesels in the United States didn’t last very long, and the 524td would only last three model years in the United States (one longer than the diesel Lincolns). As Marc Cranswick noted in his book on the 5 series, all wasn’t lost. “Stateside the 524td did help BMW earn CAFE credits so that it could spice up its North American model lineup,” including the M5. BMW also continued diesel production in Europe, offering the M21 through 1991 and other diesel engines continuously since then.

It’s always a good indication that there’s enthusiasm for a particular car if there exists a website dedicated to it, and such is the case with the 524td. But tell us, would you park a diesel BMW in your stable of 1986-only vehicles? Would you show up to Hershey or one of the VCCA’s tours in one? Or are they to be avoided, falling short of a BMW owner’s expectations?

Diesel power grew in popularity at an exponential rate in the early to mid-1930s, buoyed by reports of astounding mileage and of the cheap price of diesel fuel versus gasoline – important factors when there’s a Depression going on. Heavy haulers – trucks, locomotives, and tractors – accounted for most of that rise, and there were multiple attempts to power passenger cars with diesel engines, but at the same time, diesels became more visible in racing as well. Clessie Cummins first ran a diesel engine in the Indianapolis 500 in 1931, returning in 1934, and as we see from a set of R. H. LeSesne photos on Charles Beesley’s motor life.blog, the competition for the diesel land-speed record on Daytona Beach grabbed headlines in 1935.

The competition involved two former Indy drivers: Dave Evans, who piloted the No. 8 Duesenberg that Cummins entered at Indy in 1931 as well as one of Cummins’s two entries in the 1934 race (the one that dropped out with transmission troubles), and “Wild Bill” Cummings, who DNF’d the 1931 race, but won the 1934 race (driving a gasoline-fueled four-cylinder Miller Special). According to a Los Angeles Times article from February of 1935, the two men worked together in the early development of diesel engines, and Evans already held more than 20 diesel speed records. Their goal: to break the existing diesel land-speed record, set by Captain George Eyston at 120.33 MPH in June 1934 at Montlhéry. Evans, however, wouldn’t be driving for Cummins. Rather, he would pilot the Waukesha Silver Comet, a car sponsored by Hemphill Schools, a group of diesel trade schools, and fitted with a Waukesha-built six-cylinder diesel. Not much seems to be known about the Silver Comet; from what Evans told The Los Angeles Times, it appears Evans bought the specially built racing chassis for the record attempt and that it had to be rebuilt before the attempt. He also made claims that it would be good for 150 MPH.

Cummings, on the other hand, would drive for Cummins, piloting the other of the diesel magnate’s 1934 Indy 500 entries, the 364-cu.in. supercharged two-stroke six-cylinder that finished the race in 12th place. Weather conditions didn’t look promising: Though Malcolm Campbell showed up with his Bluebird to make an assault on the world’s land speed record, rain and shifting winds led to sands too rough for Campbell to risk a run right away. As the St. Petersburg Times reported in its February 16 issue,

Rain drummed down on the beach most of last night, the wind was from the west and south, and there were gullies and trenches all down the length of the implacable 11-1/2 mile racing stretch.

“I’ve never seen it quite so bad,” (Campbell) said despairingly. “The beach is miserable, simply miserable. At this rate there’s no telling when we can try for the record. I’m disconsolate.”

Evans, however, didn’t feel the same. Regardless of the rough beach conditions, he took the Silver Comet out the day before and ran 119.08 MPH – southward and against the wind. Turning around to put the wind at his back, he ran 130.813 MPH for an average of 125.065 MPH – not the speed he envisioned, but still good enough for the record. With Evans apparently satisfied, Cummings made his first run a day later, though to less spectacular results.

But Cummings had a bad time of it, and failed to complete his runs. On the south run his oil pressure failed, and coming back he bumped around a great deal and was forced to cut his motors as the car belched smoke and fire going into the measured mile. He failed to approach the record.

Not until March 1, with an easing of the weather at the beach, did Cummings finally succeed in breaking Evans’s record, running a two-way average of 133.023 MPH. Later that month, he upped the record to 137.195 MPH, a mark that would stand for another year or so, before Eyston traveled to the Bonneville Salt Flats in April 1936 with his Flying Spray to recapture the record for the British at 158.87 MPH.

Visitors to this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed in England will get a rare chance to see Cummins’s No. 8 Duesenberg race car, which completed the Indianapolis 500 in 1931. In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the 500, the thundering oil burner will be one of a number of Indy cars displayed in the Formula One paddock at Goodwood.

Powered by a Cummins 100hp Model U diesel engine, the No. 8 was the first car to complete the 500-mile race without stopping, and it used only $1.40 worth of fuel. It was also the first diesel car to go faster than 100 MPH at Daytona Beach in Florida.

Interestingly, this won’t be No. 8’s first trip across the pond. Following its Indy 500 success, Clessie Cummins took the car on a tour of Europe in the early 1930s to drum up interest in his company and its products. Footage still exists of the car running around the famous Brooklands circuit in Surrey.

After the tour, Cummins incorporated his latest engineering developments in two cars that he entered into the 1934 Indy 500. The No. 5 car was fitted with a two-stroke engine, and the No. 6 car with a four-stroke engine. The cars set 12 different world records in the race, including highest speed and best finish for a diesel-powered car. The four-stroke proved more dependable, efficient and more powerful than the two-stroke variant, and the company stands by Clessie Cummins’s decision to abandon the two-stroke to this day.

The next landmark came in 1950, when the Cummins No. 61 Green Hornet went on to become the world’s fastest diesel, running 165 MPH on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah after competing at Indianapolis. The 340hp racing version of the JBS-600 engine with supercharging and new Cummins Pressure Time fuel injection set diesel speed records over one, five and 10 miles.

Following on from this success, Cummins Diesel Special No. 28 created a sensation at Indy in 1952, with a 139 MPH track record. It also took the coveted pole position, the first by a diesel car. The streamlined racer had a 430hp, low-profile JBS-600 engine and was the first at Indy with turbocharging. Unfortunately, damage forced No. 28 to retire after 100 miles when it was on pace with the race leaders. It did, however, prove the effectiveness of using turbocharging on diesel engines. The No. 28 car ran at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2000 and can be seen in the company’s museum at the head office in Columbus, Indiana.